"Now that we've cleared things up, we'll take responsibility for this, right, Jotaro?"
Joseph Joestar immediately turned a stern gaze toward Kujo Jotaro, his tone firm and righteous as he posed the question.
"..."
Nianzi guessed that Kujo Jotaro was the type of icy, aloof guy who didn’t care about others’ opinions and rarely bothered to explain himself. Even when falsely accused, he didn’t lash out—he just grew visibly angrier, his expression darkening. After fixing Nianzi with a sharp, blade-like glare, he calmly asked, "What exactly are you trying to do?"
No matter how much his favorability dropped, Nianzi didn’t actually care. Arguing or debating with him was pointless—she had already achieved her goal by securing the old man’s goodwill.
So she chose to ignore Jotaro’s question and turned to Joseph Joestar instead. "Let’s exchange numbers. I need to head home now—I have school tomorrow."
She had spent the whole afternoon at the hospital with Higashikata Tomoko, and if she stayed any longer, she’d miss the last bus. More importantly, she had to return Shunan before the weekend ended to avoid escalating the situation. There was no way she could take care of a baby during school hours.
"Hey, I’m talking to you—"
"Fine. We’ll discuss your situation after school tomorrow."
Joseph Joestar cut off Kujo Jotaro before he could finish, sounding almost relieved as he readily agreed. Nianzi, likewise, ignored the high school boy. After lifting Shunan into the stroller, she waved goodbye to Tomoko.
"I’m heading out. See you."
"Take care… Thank you so much for today."
Higashikata Tomoko watched with mixed emotions as Nianzi walked out of the hospital without a backward glance, marveling at how decisively the girl had moved on—as if she’d already forgotten about the so-called "scumbag." She then glanced at the visibly irritated Kujo Jotaro. Joseph had once mentioned having a grandson, and this was probably him. The resemblance was uncanny—just like with Josuke and Shunan, they shared the same sharp eyes and distinctive birthmark. Even without any formal paternity test, their blood relation was undeniable.
Honestly, how could this grandfather and grandson be so alike in their misdeeds? Tomoko thought disdainfully.
Under her reproachful gaze, Joseph cleared his throat awkwardly and cautiously addressed her. "This is entirely my fault. I deeply regret what happened—to both you and Tomoko. It’s a shame I only learned about the child’s existence now, but Jotaro and I will take full responsibility."
"This is your problem alone. It has nothing to do with me," Kujo Jotaro retorted coldly.
"Are you still denying it? If it’s not yours, then whose is it? I may be a scoundrel, but I don’t lie about things like this! Face it like a man, Jotaro!"
Joseph immediately countered with righteous indignation, but Jotaro ignored him, turning instead to Higashikata Tomoko. "How do you know that woman? What’s your relationship with her?"
"Oh, you mean Nianzi? We just met today," Tomoko replied, aware of what he was implying. The timing was suspiciously coincidental, but she answered truthfully. "Josuke had been running a fever for days, and while I was driving him to the hospital, my car got stuck in the snow. There was no one else around, but Nianzi happened to pass by and helped push it free. Are you suggesting we conspired to extort you? Honestly, if I hadn’t noticed how much her child resembled Joseph, I wouldn’t have even contacted you! Nianzi is a good girl—this whole thing was a complete coincidence. You should be reflecting on your own actions instead!"
"What?"
Kujo Jotaro was momentarily stunned, but then Joseph suddenly noticed something.
"Wait, you said she pushed your car out of the snow?"
"Yeah. She looks slender, but she’s surprisingly strong," Tomoko answered.
"..."
Joseph exchanged an odd glance with Avdol.
...
After taking the bus back to Tokyo, Nianzi wheeled Shunan’s stroller to the nightclub where she had found him.
"I have school tomorrow and won’t be able to take care of you anymore, so I need to return you to your mom."
While the security guard went inside to notify Ms. Shiokawa, Nianzi crouched in front of the stroller, looking earnestly at Shunan as she explained, hoping he wouldn’t resent her for rejecting his hopes.
But Shunan was remarkably understanding. He didn’t ask any questions—just nodded obediently and kept watching her. "I know. Thank you for taking care of me these past two days. It was like a dream. Will you play with me again?"
"Of course, if there’s a chance."
Nianzi nodded, though whether that would happen depended largely on Ms. Shiokawa’s reaction. She wasn’t sure what to expect—after all, someone had taken her son for two days. Normally, any parent would be furious. With her record, getting tangled with the police would be troublesome, so she had to figure out how to explain things.
Soon, Shunan’s mother emerged from the nightclub. She was strikingly beautiful but oddly composed—nothing like a mother whose child had been missing for two days. Her hair was meticulously styled, her makeup flawless. Before Nianzi could even explain, Ms. Shiokawa spoke first, her tone breezy.
"Thanks for bringing him back. But I have a guest waiting, so if there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now."
"Uh… Aren’t you concerned that your son was taken for two days? If the police ask—"
Nianzi was taken aback by Ms. Shiokawa’s indifference.
This wasn’t what she’d expected. No anger, no interrogation—just instant acceptance?
"I’ll explain to the police after work—tell them he’s been found. I’ve been busy all weekend with my boyfriend, so I only reported him missing on my way to the club earlier."
Ms. Shiokawa arched a brow, her smile polished but her tone firm. "But I already said thank you, didn’t I? If you’re expecting a reward, there isn’t one. Raising a child alone isn’t easy, and I’m trying to find him a new father. I hope you understand."
"..."
What a textbook example of an irresponsible mother. No wonder Shunan never cried or complained—he’d been happy to be taken away. His own mother was this neglectful?
"No, no, it's just that I really click with this child, and I like him a lot. Ms. Shiokawa, I was wondering—could I take Shunan out on weekends occasionally?"
Noticing Ms. Shiokawa's receptive attitude, Nianzi had a sudden idea and immediately made the suggestion.
System Notification:
【Shunan expresses approval.】
The favorability rose another two points. This kid was practically perfect, except for being a little too young...
It was rare to have Shunan's affection level rise so high, and the increase was both fast and easy. If she couldn’t secure the old man, at least she’d have a backup plan.
"Oh? You’re willing to look after him?"
As if hearing such an offer for the first time, Ms. Shiokawa looked surprised, then quickly agreed, as if afraid Nianzi might change her mind. "That’d be wonderful! What a relief! I’ve been worried about what to do with Shunan when I go on weekend dates with my boyfriend. If you’re willing to take him out, that’d be perfect. I’ll even cover your expenses for the amusement park."
She knew Ms. Shiokawa would agree—especially since the woman seemed to have no real affection for the child, as if he were the result of an unplanned pregnancy.
Nianzi felt that destructive urge stirring inside her again, but she suppressed it, maintaining a polite smile as she pressed further.
"Speaking of which, you became a single mother so young, working hard to raise him alone. Have you ever considered asking his father for child support?"
She was genuinely curious about this, but for the sake of her strategy, she also needed to figure out who Shunan’s real father was.
Joseph Joestar had done his best to act like it wasn’t him, but Kujo Jotaro’s odds were even lower. So if it wasn’t either of them, who else could it be?
"It’s not that simple... The situation is complicated. I don’t plan to—nor do I want to—see that man again."
Strangely, at the mention of the child’s father, Ms. Shiokawa’s expression darkened, as if she dreaded discussing it.
"Why? Even if it was just a one-night stand, if the guy knew you had his child, he’d at least offer some compensation, right?"
"You don’t understand. This child wasn’t something I wanted—I had no choice but to have him. Otherwise, I..."
Ms. Shiokawa’s lips trembled slightly, as if recalling something horrifying. Nianzi stared at her, baffled.
"What’s wrong? Did Joestar plan to father a hundred sons for some holy war, like Mitsumasa Kido offering them to Athena, forcing women like you to bear his children?"
"What are you talking about? That makes no sense."
Ms. Shiokawa gave Nianzi an exasperated look, then sighed and silently pulled a photograph from her evening bag, handing it over.
"I don’t know who this Joestar is. This is Shunan’s biological father. We took this photo when we were together... No matter what, he was still the most handsome, captivating man I’ve ever met."
As she spoke, a trace of longing flickered in her fearful eyes. But when Nianzi saw the golden-haired young man in the photo, she froze.
Wait—she’d seen this man before!
Nianzi suddenly remembered her dream from last night: a golden-haired man hosting an orgy, draining a woman’s life like a vampire. Though his face had been obscured in the darkness, she could feel it—this was the same man in the photo!
Was that monstrous figure from her dream real? And Shunan’s father?
Before Nianzi could process this, the system suddenly unlocked a hidden character under 【？？？】.
Her spirits lifted, her attention diverted—but the moment she read the character’s profile, she was stunned all over again.
Character: DIO. Age: 121.
???
121 years old? Had she read that right?
She gaped, double-checking in disbelief, but the number remained the same. A centenarian—each new discovery doubled the last one! Compared to this, even the sixty-year-old seemed like a spring chicken!
...This game was seriously messed up.
